For members who check the blog on a regular basis you will have noticed that I have not posted since last month.  Life sometimes gets busy, doesn’t it?  After a year of living in Michigan together with daughter Kate, her husband Todd and the two grandchildren (now 6 and 2.5), since COVID was rampant, they were able to move across the St. Mary River to Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, on Saturday, the 10^th.  Such a scurry of activity to get them packed, all paperwork filled out, vaccines for the adults and COVID tests for parents and Julian took all of everyone’s time – no time for genealogy.  They will be quarantined for two weeks and will move to their rented townhouse at that time until they find a home to purchase.

Since they have accomplished their dream, the house is very quiet.  We are now am empty nest duo for the second time.  Time to pick up our life as a couple, concentrating on what is important to us.  Genealogy, of course, is at the top of my list – and you will receive posts much more frequently. 

This last year has taught us many things, helping realize what is valuable, and what should be important.  Our children and grandchildren, relatives and friends are at the top of the list.  But we have come to know and love all the animals on our forty acres.  We want to care for them and the land, doing what is best for their survival and growth.  Ritchey and I plan a large vegetable garden and several flower gardens.  We hope to become more at one with our little piece of earth – like our ancestors did long ago.  I think many of us have fallen away from that idea, perhaps the experience we’ve all had with COVID will help guide us back to nature.

I have traveled slightly farther from home, Harrodsburg, Kentucky, to Rudyard, Michigan, then my ancestors did when they moved from Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia to Kentucky in the late 18^th and very early 19^th centuries.  The same sense of excitement was shared with them as we drove to our new home – a much easier experience than my ancestors coming into Kentucky at Cumberland Gap and making their way across the mountains. 

But this journey has been good for my soul.  Despite COVID’s best attempts we have done more than survived in this new land – we have thrived.  Honestly, I never thought I would leave Kentucky.  But things change, and new adventures begin.  The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is much different from Kentucky – less people, more rural – as well as many lighthouses to explore, three Great Lakes (within 20 minutes of home), and long rock or dirt roads that lead to sometimes nowhere!  But the trip to get there is amazing!

I believe I forgot the purpose of this blog, to tell you that Kentucky Kindred Genealogy will be ten years old on Tuesday, April 20^th.  From the first two-paragraph post I never envisioned this would blossom into the Kentucky Kindred of today, with so many readers – many who have become good friends.  Some of you traveled to Harrodsburg and I helped with your ancestor hunt, some I’ve met when we traveled through the state looking for cemeteries and old records.  It’s been a marvelous journey for me and I hope you have found information to help in your research.  My one regret of moving to Michigan is that I cannot be in Kentucky to meet with you when you visit.  Ritchey and I do plan a visit to Kentucky in a year or so – will depend on the direction COVID takes.  We have been vaccinated and are ready for a road trip!

In appreciation of your interest and kind emails I would like to offer ten CDs I’ve made as prizes for a celebration of ten years.  Just send an email  – phbretired@gmail.com – describing why you enjoy the blog, if you’ve found something that helped your research, or anything else about the blog.  I will choose ten names at random.  You may choose the CD you prefer:

1. Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Cemetery Photos – Washington County
2. 100 Years of Marriages, Washington County, Kentucky
3. St. Thomas Catholic Church Gravestone Photos – Nelson County
4. Holy Cross Catholic Church Gravestone Photos – Marion County
5. Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church Gravestone Photos – Marion County
6. St. Charles Catholic Church Cemetery Photos – Marion County
7. Rockbridge Baptist Church Gravestone Photos – Washington County
8. Gethsemani Abbey Public Cemetery Gravestone Photos – Nelson County
9. St. Rose Catholic Church Baptisms 1830-1886 – Washington County
10. St. Charles Catholic Church Baptisms 1829-1857 – Marion County
11. St. Joseph Catholic Church Gravestone Photos (Little St. Joe) – Marion County
12. Stewart’s Creek Baptist Church Gravestone Photos – Marion County

I hope we can celebrate another ten years in 2031!